Community banks are operating in a landscape shaped by shifting rate conditions, tighter regulatory expectations and a sharper focus on funding stability and credit discipline. In this environment, Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (BRBS Quick QuoteBRBS - Free Report) and AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (ASRV Quick QuoteASRV - Free Report) stand out as two community-focused institutions with similar core banking foundations, but very different operating models that influence their risk-return profiles. BRBS operates primarily through Blue Ridge Bank and complements its franchise with wealth and trust capabilities, while also working through a strategic transition away from its earlier fintech-oriented activities — a reset that reflects a broader pivot toward a more traditional community banking profile. ASRV, meanwhile, is anchored by AmeriServ Financial Bank and extends its platform through a long-standing wealth management and trust operation, giving the company additional fee-based channels alongside its lending and deposit franchise.

While BRBS remains focused on simplifying its business model, strengthening governance and rebuilding confidence through a more bank-first strategy, ASRV leans into a steadier relationship-driven approach supported by advisory and trust services that deepen customer engagement beyond lending. With both positioned to benefit from improved operating stability over time, the question remains: which stock offers the more attractive opportunity right now? Let’s take a closer look.

Stock Performance & Valuation: BRBS vs. ASRV

BRBS (up 1.4%) has underperformed ASRV (up 9.3%) over the past three months. However, in the past year, Blue Ridge Bankshares stock has rallied 28.5% compared with AmeriServ’s gain of 20.2%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meanwhile, BRBS is trading at a trailing 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 2.71X, above its median of 1.14X over the past three years. ASRV’s trailing 12-month P/S multiple sits at 0.62X, above its last three-year median of 0.58X. Blue Ridge Bankshares and AmeriServ both appear to be cheap when compared with the Zacks Finance sector average of 7.11X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Factors Driving Blue Ridge Bankshares’ Stock

Blue Ridge Bankshares’ stock is being supported by a clearer strategic reset that reduces complexity and narrows the company’s risk footprint. Management has emphasized a deliberate shift away from higher-volatility fintech-related funding and other non-core activities, while refocusing the franchise around more traditional community banking fundamentals. This repositioning is paired with an effort to tighten underwriting discipline and improve asset quality, which helps reinforce the view that BRBS is moving into a more predictable operating posture.

A second driver is investor attention on regulatory progress and governance buildout. Blue Ridge Bankshares continues to highlight advancement under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Consent Order, supported by investments in compliance, risk oversight and operational controls. By expanding senior leadership across risk, credit and operational functions, BRBS is signaling that remediation is not just a checklist item but a structural upgrade that can improve execution and restore market confidence over time.

BRBS is reinforcing shareholder confidence through capital deployment actions. The board’s declaration of a special cash dividend, alongside an active share repurchase program, signals management’s belief that the balance sheet is strong enough to support returns even as the company continues its broader transition.

Factors Driving AmeriServ Stock

AmeriServ stock is being supported by the steadiness of its traditional community-banking model, anchored by a relationship-driven deposit base that management describes as stable and largely independent of wholesale or brokered funding. This foundation, paired with conservative balance-sheet positioning, helps ASRV navigate rate volatility while maintaining flexibility around liquidity and loan growth — a combination investors often reward in smaller banks operating in uncertain conditions.

A second tailwind is the company’s wealth and trust platform, which provides meaningful diversification beyond spread income and reinforces customer stickiness. AmeriServ continues to position its Wealth and Capital Management division as a core franchise pillar, generating recurring fee streams while expanding relationships across individuals, businesses and institutions. This theme gained added momentum with the recently announced strategic alliance with Federated Hermes, which broadens ASRV’s investment offering and strengthens its advisory toolkit without altering its community focus.

ASRV is benefiting from an investor narrative centered on disciplined execution — balancing expense control initiatives with proactive credit oversight. Management continues to emphasize operating efficiency efforts while addressing problem assets decisively, supporting confidence in a more consistent earnings profile over time.

Choose BRBS Over ASRV Now

While both Blue Ridge Bankshares and AmeriServ are positioned to benefit from improving rate dynamics and steady regional banking demand, their current setups point to different risk-reward profiles — and BRBS appears better positioned right now. Although BRBS has lagged ASRV over the past three months, its stronger one-year rally signals that investors are increasingly buying into the company’s strategic reset, which is centered on simplifying the business model, strengthening governance and rebuilding the franchise around more traditional community banking fundamentals. That improving narrative — combined with visible progress on risk and compliance priorities — has helped Blue Ridge Bankshares regain credibility and sustain positive longer-term momentum.

From a valuation perspective, BRBS is trading above its historical price-to-sales median, but it still screens as inexpensive relative to the broader Finance sector average, leaving room for additional upside if execution continues and sentiment keeps improving. ASRV, meanwhile, has delivered better near-term performance and continues to offer a steadier, wealth-supported community banking profile. However, its outperformance has also pushed the stock modestly above its own long-term valuation norm, narrowing the margin of safety. With a more powerful turnaround-driven catalyst, stronger one-year momentum and a valuation that remains attractive versus sector levels, Blue Ridge Bankshares offers the more compelling opportunity over AmeriServ right now.